“We completely stripped and rebuilt the Spec 3 for the KZN event and we’re hoping our luck will turn and we have the same kind of success we enjoyed in the last Nissan Sugarbelt (in 2006), when Achim and I won.
Harcus and Leeke, both former national co-driver champions (Harcus in the Special Vehicle category and Leeke in the Production Vehicle competition) will again be in the older BAT Spec 2 they drove in the last round while they wait for a new BAT Spec 4.
“The BAT Spec 2 is a good car for the Sugarbelt and we’re looking to get a good result,” said Harcus. “Richard and I have not had much luck since getting together. We were leading the first race comfortably when our engine blew up (they were in the Spec 3) and then we were time-barred in the next event after we experienced alternator problems on the Spec 2. We qualified second, so we know we have the pace.
“Richard is a real pro and it’s a pleasure to sit alongside him. It won’t be long before we’re spraying the champagne,” he promised.
Alfie Cox and Hennie ter Stege will be back at the wheel of the class SP Ford Ranger in which Motorite Racing is contesting its first Production Car Championship in the premier class. The legendary off road motorcycle champion, who has also won national titles in both the production car and special vehicle categories (the latter with Ter Stege), has struggled to get the best out of the ex-works Ford. Despite their best efforts they have only managed to finish sixth in both events held to date. However, they are the best of the privateer entries in the class and are currently sixth in the championship, ahead of at least three of the works crews.
“We were not all that happy with the condition of the Ford when we took delivery before the first event and we have had to do a lot of work on it to make it competitive,” said Hutchison. “We’re up against the works SPs from Nissan, Ford and Toyota, so we have our work cut out, but Alfie and Hennie have tons of experience and we are confident of some upset results during the season.”
Cox, a KTM dealer in KZN, is keen to do well in the Sugarbelt, in his own back yard. “It’s my favourite off road race and I’ll be extra motivated,” he said. “Hennie and I haven’t actually done that badly so far. The standard among the SP bakkies, particularly the factory entries, is extremely high and you can’t afford to have a problem. Just a puncture can put you out of the running. We were going well in the Eastern Cape when we had to stop to remove a branch of a tree that had become lodged between the rear wheel and the diff. That lost us fifth place. I’ve been trying really hard, but the boys are good. The competition is really tough.”
Motorite Racing is the motor sport division of Motorite Insurance Administrators, the largest independent mechanical breakdown insurance and full maintenance plan service provider and administrator in South Africa.
